MCAS Gastrointestinal

Symptoms

• Mast cells are present throughout the body, including within the stomach and intestines.

• People with MCAS may experience diarrhea, nausea with vomiting, and abdominal cramping (just to name a few).

• These symptoms often happen simultaneously with other MCAS symptoms like hives, flushing, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, and/or swelling (just to name a few).

• MCAS symptoms can be triggered by a variety of things ranging from food, alcohol, friction (from clothing or a massage), medications, exercise, perfumes, etc. This list does not include all of the potential triggers.

• It’s common for individuals with MCAS to correlate MCAS symptoms with food intake. Some people may experience uncomfortable symptoms from a few specific foods, while others may notice that dozens of foods seem to cause issues.

Written by: Katie Mednick, Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Expert